Salt-holder for cattle



(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 1."

H. A. LEE.

SALT HOLDER FOR CATTLE.

No. 518319. Patented Apr. 24, 1894'.

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wAsnmnYcu. m c- (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

H. A. LEE. SALT HOLDER FOR GATTLE.

No. 518,819. Patented Apr. 24,1894.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

I-IENRY A. LEE, OF ORANGE, NEW JERSEY. v

SALT-HOLDER FOR CATTLE.

V SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 518,819, dated April 24, 1894.

Application filed August 31,1893- To 00% whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY A. LEE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New J orsey, have invented an Improvement in Salt- Holders, of which the following is a specification.

Blocks of salt have heretofore been provided and secured in convenient positions for horses and cattle to obtain the desired amount of salt by licking such blocks, and these blockshave been of various shapes, and holders have been provided for the reception of the blocks. Where the holder has been permanently fastened to a wall or partition, the upper surface of the block has usually been exposed to the accumulation of dust or to the action of moisture when the salt has been attached outside of a building or structure. I

In my present improvementsI make use of a movable frame of metal to surround and inclose the block of salt, except at its exposed outer surface, the frame being movable and secured against a wall or partition after the block of salt has been inserted.

In the drawings, Figure 1, is an elevation of acircular holder with a metal back, and Fig.2, is a section of the same. Fig. 3, is a section showing a different construction of locking device for holding the frame in place. Fig. 4, is an elevation representing the frame in a rectangular shape and hinged to the backing. Fig. 5, is a perspective view of a circular block of salt.

The frame A is either circular as represented in Fig. 1, or rectangular, as shown at A, Fig. 4, and said frame is open at the back and adapted to receive a blockof salt of corresponding shape, which is shown at B, Fig. 5, and the frame is constructed in such a manner as to prevent the block of salt falling out at its open front end, and with this object in view the sides of the frame may be inclined as shown at 2, so that when the frame is circular, such frame will have the general form of a truncated cone, and when such frame is rectangular, as shown in Fig. 4, it will have .the form of a truncated pyramid, and in this instance it is advisable to make the blocks of salt of a shape to fit closely into the interior of the frame.

If the frame is made of sheet metal, it is ad- Serial No.434,4=46- (No-model.)

'vantageous to turn over the inner edges inwardly, asshownat 3, which not only lessens the diameter of the opening at the front, but it also forms a flange to prevent the block of salt dropping out, whether such block is conoidal or cylindrical, and when the frame is made of, cast metal the portion 3, forms an inwardly projecting flange which may-be of greater or less thickness. This inwardly projecting flange or turned over edge is especially important when the holder or frame is made'of sheet metal, as it prevents the risk ,of injury to the tongue of the animal while licking the salt, because with the thin edge of a sheet metal frame presented to the tongue, the tongue might be cut or injured.

The frame is removably secured against a wall, partition or other structure and it is usually preferable to connect the frame A or A to a backing O, whichmay be of either cast metal or sheet metal, and it is advanta geously constructed of slightly larger measurement than the frame A- or A so as to pro ject beyond the edges thereof, and this backing 0 is to be provided with suitable holes for the reception of screws or nails by which it is attached in position, andthe-backing may be acomplete plate, as shown in Fig. 2, or it may be a frame having an opening in the middle, as shown at 5, Fig. 3.

The frame A or A, is to be removably connected with the backing O. I have shown at 6, a hinge for connecting one edge of the frame to the backing, and at 7, a hasp by which the movable edge of the frame is secured to the backing, and this hasp may be of any desired character, such for instance, as a projecting lug with an opening adapted to pass over a staple 8, through which a pin may be inserted.

In some cases a hinge is liable to rust and not to turn freely, and as a substitute for the hinge, a claw or curved plate may be provided that projects from the frame and passes behind the backing or behind a projection or loop on the same as the parts are put together,

previous to securing the hasp or holding de-- from the backing or partition, can be easily disconnected therefrom, so as to receive into the frame the block, slab or piece of salt, and then the frame is secured against the vertical partition or wall by the devices herein set forth, and the salt is in a position to be easily licked by the horse or other animal and the pieces of salt which may remain from time to time as the cake is broken or disintegrated, will remain within the frame in consequence of the flange 3, and the inclined or conical form of the frame, and there is nothing to injure the tongue of the animal, neither can the frame be easily grasped between the teeth of a horse that is in the habit of cribbing, and this salt holder is cheap, and durable, and easily applied under almost all circumstances where saltis required for the use of horses or cattle.

The moyable connection shown in Fig. 3. or the hinge shown in Fig. 2. serves to hold the parts togetherat one side of the frame, and any suitable interlocking device such as the hasp connects the parts at the other side.

I claim as my invention- 1. A frame open at the back and front and adapted to surround a block of salt, the opening at the front being smaller than the opening at the back, to prevent such block of salt slipping through, in combination witha backing adapted to be permanently secured to a wall or partition, a hinge connecting the frame and the backing, and a hasp for holding the moving edge of the frame to the backing, substantially as set forth.

2. A frame open at the back and front and adapted to surround a block of salt, the opening at the front being smaller than the opening at the back to prevent such block of salt slipping through, in combination with a backing adapted to be permanently secured to a wall or partition, a movable connection be tween the frame and the backing on which the frame can be turned in opening the same, and an interlocking device for holding the moving edge of the frame to the backing when closed, substantially as set forth.

Signed by me this 30th day of August, 1893.

HENRY A. LEE. Witnesses:

GEO. T. PINOKNEY, WILLIAM G. Mom. 

